Luton Borough Council (20 013 398)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 27-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint which was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. There is no evidence to suggest that Mr X could not have complained to us sooner about a housing benefit overpayment.

Salford City Council (21 008 491)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 21-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s recent decision to recover a housing benefit overpayment which arose in 2016. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is a right of appeal against the Council’s decision.

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (21 001 048)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 20-Oct-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council took deductions from his Housing Benefit from October 2016 at the same time the Department of Work and Pension took deductions. Mr X also complained the Council incorrectly reduced his Housing Benefits from April 2019 to February 2020. The Mr X says the Council’s action caused his landlord to threaten repossession of his flat and caused him stress, anxiety and financial hardship. The Ombudsman found fault with the Council for taking deductions at the same time as the DWP. The Ombudsman also found fault with the Council incorrectly reducing Mr X’s housing benefits and for the delays in responding to Mr X’s complaints. The Council agreed to the Ombudsman’s recommendation to refund Mr X his overpayments of £828.24 and pay him £1,500 for the prolonged distress, anxiety and financial hardship caused.

London Borough of Hounslow (21 007 670)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 20-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council not awarding more housing benefit, or a Discretionary Housing Payment, in 2018. This is because it is a late complaint and the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (21 007 685)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 18-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a letter the Council sent to the complainant in error about her housing benefit. This is because the Council has provided a fair and proportionate response.

London Borough of Wandsworth (21 007 060)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 14-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council pursuing the complainant for an alleged housing benefit overpayment. This is because we do not usually investigate complaints when a complainant could have appealed to a tribunal. We also do not usually look into complaints about events that took place more than 12 months ago when the complainant ought reasonably to have been aware they had a reason to complain.

London Borough of Hounslow (21 006 999)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council recovered a housing benefit overpayment. This is because the problem has been resolved and there is nothing more we could achieve.

London Borough of Hackney (20 010 923)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 12-Oct-2021

Summary: Miss B complained about the Council’s failure to pay her the correct amount of housing benefit and council tax support since the cyber-attack in October 2020. We found there was service failure in the delay in paying Miss B the correct amount of benefit and a continued delay in paying her all the money she is owed. This has caused her severe financial hardship for a significant period of time. The Council has agreed to pay her £250 and provide a time frame for paying her the outstanding money.

Birmingham City Council (21 007 420)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 12-Oct-2021

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s decision to recover overpaid housing benefit. We will not investigate this complaint because there as a right of appeal to a tribunal.

London Borough of Croydon (21 006 289)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 11-Oct-2021

Summary: We shall not investigate Ms X’s complaint. We are unlikely to find fault on some points. The Council has agreed to seek a late appeal against its decisions to reduce Ms X’s housing benefit, which is a suitable remedy for other parts of the complaint.